Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-06-09
Jack and L.

through Inc w mite river UolloLl, ueIWeeu
fields of cotton and corn, containing from
two to three hundred acres. l saw more
corn growing here than had seen before for
some sixteen years. The Pacific slope does
not grow CORE; wheat, oats and barley are
its staple crops. But here the principal crops
are cotton and corn-the former predomi-
mating. The plant is looking well, notwith-
standing u long dry spell of some eight weeks
duration. Wheat will be cut somewhat
short on that account. White river, since
the rains, has been out of its banks, over
flowing much of the bottom lands and neces-
stating good deal of replanting.
Leaving the bottom 1 came upon much
higher ground. The soil seems to be chang
ing to sandy loan. Camped at noon on
Sallydoe creek, so named from one Sally who
killed doe thereon. Beyond, the country
slopes gently to the south. Pleasant Claims
is little burgh situated in the midst of this
beautiful part of Arkansas. As it was Sat-
urday, everybody seemed to be in town.
This is an elevated region-the watershed
between White and Red rivers. Thence on
southwark through fine farming country,
L noticed quite a number of young peach
VI Shul us duu al OCCdslUIdI tluetaTu. r err
ried Red river, which was very deep, as the
| water backs up some thirty miles from
White river, and on Monday passed through
quite little city, Searcy by name, the coun-
| ty-seat Of White county, containing popu-
| lat'on of 700. 1t supports fine college and
| has many fine business honses, mostly of
| brick, good court house and town clock.
The 1. NJ. Railroad runs within four miles of
the place, and some enterprising ones have
built brrse-railrOad, standard gauge, max
ing connection with the main line. and hav-
ing street car attached, are making pretty
good thing transporting freight and passen-
gers.
This is as fine portion of Arkansas as
have seen. Many northern men are settling
! on old lands that were turned out during the
| days OF slavery as no longer able to produce
cotton, and their crops look well this spring.
Everybody works out in the field, except the
sold woman" They say they have to in
order to make a living. This climate is such
that men do not push so as they do in the
north. Passed an old place where heard a
boy some twelve years old cursing his moth
| er. suppose that was due to the climate!
Tuesday, 18th, crossed Cypress Bayou; a
wet, somewhat swampy bottom, cultivated
mostly by blacks. They seem to be thriving;
many of them owning good teams-some of
the more thrifty driving in their buggies.
| Wednesday, 18th. Little Rock at last. The
Arkansas at this point is quite a large, nav
igable stream, spanned by a fine bridge, used
for both railroad and teams. Quite a con-
trast between its size here and at Pueblo,
Colorado, where it gushes forth from the
mountains clear and sparkling, babbilng
oyer the rocks. Little Rock is handsome
city of thirty thousand population, situated
on high ground, sloping toward the river.
The Arsenal grounds are particularly fine.
l noticed on the bank of the river very ex-
tensive mill, which, upon inquiry, proved
to be cotton seed oil mill. The manufact-
ure of cotton seed oil is an industry of COM
paratively recent origin in the south. The
product is valuable for manv purposes, aside
from the adulteration of lard and butter.
Followed the railroad pretty closely this
afternoon and camped eleven miles below
the city. Had chat with an old "gentle-
man Of color" concerning the present and
past. The darkies generally own the lands
they cultivate in this section and north of
Little Rock, the old proprietors being quite
| willing to sell 10 them, giving them five years
| time in which to pay for their farms, and
often extending the time when necessary
ten per cent. being the regular interest.
Many of them are immigrants from Georgia
and the Caroinas. Arkansas seems more
free to them.
Thursday, 18th. Passed to-day cypress
swamp, and noticed for the first time the
peculiar growth called cypress knees. They
remind me of the stumps of trees cut down
by beavers in the west, for the purpose of
building their dams. They grow from two
to three feet above the water, some of them
being ten inches through at the waters edge
and running up sharp, looking as though
they had been cut and were healing over.
This is numbering district, the principal
timber being pine. Camped at the station
nine miles from Pine Bluff. Gnats and big
flies till you can't rest!
Friday, Goth. Here we are at Pine Bluff, a
city of 10 900 inhabitants, on the Arkansas
river, one of the la est cotton shipping
points in this state. During the war 1t was
pretty badly demorallled, but is now build
ing up quite rapidly; mostly one-story
houses, however, which look odd to a north
ern man. Hunted up relative by the name
of Cunningham, prominent lawyer of this
city, and spent the remainder of the day very
pleasantly with his family. This city is
| pretty well shaded with the darkey. In poll
tics they hold the balance of power. They
like their bitters and are easily Influenced.
Saturdays the whites are nearly crowded off
the sidewalks by them. That day is "nig-
gers day" in the south, and they all 60 to
town, whether they have nickel to spend
or not. don't believe 1 want any of that in
mine. On the Pacific coast we have the
Chinaman to contend with, but believe /
prefer him to the darkey. We can, at least,
restrict his immigration; but this seems to
be the natural home of the black man, and
he is an essential factor in this cotton grow
ing country. He can stand the heat and
miasma of these river bottoms and bayous
as the white IMAM cannot.
Saturday, 21st. Start south once more,
Star City being my objective point, at which
place / arrive about O'Clock and introduce
myself to brother whom 1 have not seen
for twenty-five years. He went through the
war unscathed, but at last surrendered to
the enemy in the person of one of Arkansas
fair daughters, and has been held il 'sdur-
ance vile" ever since, having visited the
home of his youth in charge of his fair cap
tor but once in a quai ter of a century.
| This is the county seat of Lincoln county,
and good trading point, though without a